Tool bar with forward folding wings

ABSTRACT

The forward folding tool bar for grain planters includes a main frame. Left and right pivot frames are pivotally attached to the main frame for pivotal movement about vertical axes. Wing assemblies are pivotally connected to the pivot frames for pivotal movement about horizontal fore and aft axes. A tongue assembly includes a rear tube fixed to the main frame. A forward tube is telescopically received in the rear tube. A mast is fixed to the forward end of the forward tube. A panographic linkage includes draft links pivotally attached to the mast and a hitch member. A hydraulic cylinder raises and lowers the mast. The draft links include slots that receive bar portions attached to the rear tube, in a lowered working position. Telescopic tension connector links attached to the mast and the wings prevent pivotal movement of the pivot frames when telescopic movement is blocked.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/781,425, titled TOOL BAR WITH FORWARDFOLDING WINGS FILED Mar. 10, 2006.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The tool bar, carries tillage and planting assemblies, has wing sectionsthat pivot up and down relative to a center section to follow thecontour of a field and that pivot forwardly relative to the centersection for transport between fields on roads.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tool bars are pulled by tractors to cultivate soil, plant seeds in theground, and apply fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides.To improve efficiency, reduce cost per acre, and reduce soil compaction,the width of an area planted during each pass through a field has beenincreased. Tool bars are available that can plant thirty-six rows ofcorn with a space of thirty inches between rows. The tool bar must havea length of about ninety feet to carry thirty-six planter units withthirty inch row spacing. A tool bar that is capable of carrying 36planter units and planting thirty-six rows of corn simultaneously withthirty inches between rows must have some flexibility to follow thefield surface contour even when planting in fields that have beenleveled by laser controlled earth movers. Each planter unit is attachedto a tool bar by a linkage that permits the unit to float up and downrelative to the tool bar. A depth control system, that is part of eachplanter unit, controls the depth that seeds are deposited below thesurface of soil. Seeds are ideally planted at a uniform depth so thatthey germinate and emerge at about the same time. The total depthdepends on factors such as soil type, moisture content, soil temperatureand a farmer's educated assessment based on years of experience. It isgenerally considered desirable to position the seeds that are thedeepest within one inch of seeds that are closest to the surface. If thetool bar is too high, it will tend to lift a planter unit. If the toolbar is too low, it will tend to force a planter unit downward andincrease seed depth.

Seed depth is more uniform if a tool bar has a center section and wingsections pivotally attached to the center section. The center section issupported by gauge wheels that are spaced outward from the center of thecenter section. The wings have inboard ends that are pivotally attachedto adjacent end of the center section for pivotal movement about ahorizontal fore and aft extending axis. Each wing section has a gaugewheel or gauge wheels that are mounted on the wing section outboardportion. The horizontal fore and aft extending axis should be as low aspossible to minimize the change in row spacing between a planter unit onan outboard end of the center section and the planter unit on an inboardend of the wing section.

A tool bar for simultaneously planting thirty-six crop rows with thirtyinch row spacing will typically have twelve planter units on the centersection, twelve planter units on the left wing, and twelve planter unitson the right wing. The center section of the tool bar with twelveplanter units set to provide thirty inch spacing between rows of plantsis too wide to move on some rural roads.

The width of the center section is reduced by attaching two planterunits, on the left end of the center section, to the left wing andattaching two planter units, on the right end of the center section tothe right wing when folding the wings forward to transport on ruralroads. The eight planter units that remain with center section can bemoved short distances on rural roads.

A telescopic tongue includes a rear portion that is attached to thecenter section and a forward portion that carries a hitch assembly.During planting or other operations in a field, the length of thetelescopic tongue is reduced to make it easier to change the directionof forward movement. When the wings are folded to the front for movementbetween fields or into a storage building for example, the length of thetelescopic tongue is increased to make room for the outboard ends of thewing sections. In the folded transport position, the wing sections aresupported by the telescopic tongue.

A towing tractor exerts tension forces on the telescopic tongue whenpulling the tool bar in the field as well as when pulling the tool barin a forward folded transport position. The pulling tension when thetelescopic tongue is extended is transmitted from a front tongue beam toa rear tongue beam by left and right tension connector links that limitthe maximum length of the telescopic tongue. The tension connector linksprovide a longer unit than necessary when the wings are folded formovement between fields. Locks of various descriptions have beenemployed to lock the telescopic tongue in a retracted position duringtilling and planting operations. Some of the locks have been too weak.Other locks have employed complicated linkages that require closeinspection to insure that the lock is engaged. Hydraulically operatedlocks employing a dedicated hydraulic circuit have also been used. Thehydraulic cylinder may require an additional hydraulic control valve.The number of control valves and hydraulic couplers on tractors arelimited. The tools attached to a tool bar may require more hydrauliccircuits than some tractors have.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The tool bar, with forward folding wings has a main frame assembly. Atelescopic tongue assembly includes a rear tube secured to the mainframe assembly and a forward tube telescopically received in the reartube. A transverse horizontal tool mounting tube is secured to the mainframe assembly. A left pivot frame is pivotally attached to the mainframe assembly for pivotal movement about a left vertical axis. A rightpivot frame assembly is pivotally attached to the main frame assemblyfor pivotal movement about a right vertical axis.

A left wing assembly is pivotally attached to the left pivot frameassembly, for pivotal movement about a left fore and aft pivot axis. Theleft wing assembly includes a left tool mounting tube. A right wingassembly is pivotally attached to the right pivot frame assembly forpivotal movement about a right fore and aft pivot axis. The right wingassembly includes a right tool mounting tube.

At least two gauge wheels are attached to and support the main frameassembly. At least one gauge wheel is attached to and supports the leftwing assembly. At least one right gauge wheel is attached to andsupports the right wing assembly.

A hitch assembly includes a mast fixed to a forward end of the forwardtube of the telescopic tongue assembly. At least one draft link ispivotally attached to the mast and to a hitch block. A parallel draftlink is pivotally attached to the mast and to the hitch block. Theparallel draft link is parallel to the at least one draft link andcooperates with the mast, the at least one draft link and the hitchblock to form a pantographic linkage. A hydraulic cylinder is attachedto the mast and to the at least one draft link. The hydraulic cylinderis operable to lift and lower the mast between a raised transportposition and a lowered working position. A draft link extension on theat least one draft link extends to the rear of the pivot attachment tothe mast and includes a slot that receives a bar on the rear tube whenthe mast is in a working position. The slot in the draft link extensionanchors the hitch assembly to the rear tube of the telescopic tongueassembly when the bar is received in the slot.

A left tension connector includes a rear tube that is pivotallyconnected to the left pivot frame assembly and the left wing assembly. Afront tube, of the left tension connector, is telescopically attached tothe rear tube and pivotally attached to the mast. A lock locks the lefttension member rear tube to the front tube, when in a working positionto minimize pivotal movement of the left pivot frame about the leftvertical axis. A right tension connector includes a rear tube that ispivotally connected to the right pivot frame assembly and the right wingassembly. A front tube, of the right tension connector is telescopicallyattached to the rear tube and pivotally attached to the mast. A locklocks the right tension member rear tube to the front tube, when in aworking position to minimize pivotal movement of the right pivot frameabout the right vertical axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent inview of the following detailed description of the presently preferredembodiments and best mode, appended claims, and accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tool bar, in an extended and raisedposition and without planter units or other attachments;

FIG. 1A is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 with a cargo supportremoved from the rear of the main frame assembly.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tool bar in a folded transportposition;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of a tool bar wheel supportassembly;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the wheel support assembly shownin FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged end elevational view of the right wing assembly;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the right pivot frame;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view of the right pivot frame shown in FIG.6;

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the forward portion of the telescopictongue and the hitch assembly with parts broken away;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the hitch assembly and thetelescopic tongue with parts broken away;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged front elevational view of the hitch assembly; and

FIG. 11A is an enlarged sectional view of a tension connector linktelescopic connection in a locked condition and parts broken away; and

FIG. 11B is a sectional view similar to FIG. 11A with the telescopicconnection unlocked and parts broken away.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The tool bar 10 with forward folding wings 12 and 14 includes a mainframe assembly 16 a left pivot frame assembly 18 a right pivot frameassembly 20, a left wing assembly 22 and a right wing assembly 24, atelescopic tongue assembly 26, a hitch assembly 28, and a plurality ofsupport wheel assemblies 30. The mainframe assembly 16 includes a topplate 32 and a bottom plate 34. A plurality of vertical spacer plates 36are welded to the top plate 32 and the bottom plate 34 and hold the topplate and the bottom plate in spaced apart and parallel positionsrelative to each other. A transverse horizontal tool mounting tube 38 iswelded to the space plates 36.

The telescopic tongue assembly 26 includes a rear tube 40 that is fixedto the top plate 32 and the bottom plate 34 of the mainframe assembly 16and is an integral part of the mainframe assembly. The tool mountingtube 38 is integral with the main frame 16 and is transverse to the reartube 40. A forward tube 42 is telescopically received in a forward end44 of the rear tube 40. The hitch assembly 28 is fixed to a forward end46 of the forward tube 42.

A left pivot frame 18 is pivotally attached to the mainframe assembly 26by a pivot bar 48 for pivotal movement about a left vertical axis 50. Aright pivot frame 20 is pivotally attached to the mainframe assembly 16by a pivot bar 52 for pivotal movement about a right vertical axis 54.The left pivot frame 18 is a mirror image of right pivot frame 20. Theright pivot frame 20 only is therefore described herein. The right pivotframe 20 includes a horizontal square tube 56. A vertical pivot tube 58is welded to an inboard end 60 of the square tube 56. A pair of gussets62 are welded to the vertical pivot tube 58 and to the bottom of thesquare tube 56. The pivot bar 52 passes through the pivot tube 58 topivotally attach the right pivot frame 20 to the main frame 16. A toolmounting tube 64 is mounted on an outboard end 66 of the square tube 56by vertical plates 68 and 70. These plates 68 and 70 support the toolmounting tube 64 below and to the rear of the square tube 56 and inaxial alignment with the transverse horizontal tool mounting tube 38when the right wing assembly 24 is extending transversely to the rightof the telescopic tongue 26. A tool mounting tube 72 on the left pivotframe 18 is in axial alignment with the tool mounting tube 64 and thetool mounting tube 38 fixed to the mainframe assembly 16. A wing floatpivot axis 74 passes through two spaced apart plates 75 and 77 that arewelded to the outboard end 66 of the square tube 56. The axis 74intersects and is transverse to a long axis through the center of thetool mounting tubes 64 and 72.

The left wing assembly 22 includes a tool mounting tube 76 and a leftwing frame tube 78. A plurality of vertical plates 80 are welded to thetool mounting tube 76 and the frame tube 78. The left frame tube 78 isin axial alignment with the left horizontal square tube 56 of the leftpivot frame 18 when the left wing assembly 22 and the left pivot frameare both horizontal. The left wing assembly 22 pivots up and down aboutthe fore and aft pivot axis 82 as the tool bar 10 moves across unleveledfields.

The right wing assembly 24 includes a tool mounting tube 84 and a rightwing frame tube 86. A plurality of vertical plates 88 are welded to thetool mounting tube 84 and the right frame tube 86. The right frame tube86 is in axial alignment with the right horizontal square tube 56 of theright pivot frame 20 when the right wing assembly 24 and the right pivotframe are both horizontal. The right wing assembly 24 pivots up and downabout the fore and aft pivot axis 90 as the tool bar 10 moves acrossunleveled fields.

Four gauge wheel assemblies 100 are mounted on the center tool mountingtube 38. Two gauge wheels 100 are mounting on the left tool mountingtube 84. Two additional gauge wheel assemblies 100 are mounted on theright tool mounting tube 84. All of the gauge wheel assemblies areidentical. Only one gauge wheel assembly 100 is therefore described. Thegauge wheel assembly as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 has a mounting bracket102 with a top plate 104 and two spaced apart vertical side plates 106and 108. The top plate 104 includes a vertical wall portion 110 thatengages a front wall of a tool mounting tube and a horizontal wall 112that engages the bottom wall of a tool mounting tube. A cap 114 isclamped to the top plate 104 by bolts to fix the position of themounting bracket 102 along the length of one of the tool mounting tubes.A yoke 116 is pivotally attached to the mounting bracket 102 by a pivotpin 118. A wheel 120 is journaled by bearing on a horizontal shaft 122.A pneumatic tire 124 is mounted on the wheel 120. A scraper assembly 126is attached to the yoke 116. A plate member 128 of the scraper assembly126 is positioned adjacent to the tire 124 and scrapes mud from the tireas the tool bar 10 advances over the surface of a field. A hydrauliccylinder 130 has a head end 132 secured to the mounting bracket 102 by apin 134. The rod 136 on the cylinder 130 is attached to the yoke 116 bya pin 138. Extension of the hydraulic cylinder 130 raises the mountingbracket 102 and the tool mounting tubes attached to the mountingbracket. Retraction of the hydraulic cylinder 130 lowers the mountingbracket 102 or raises the tire 124.

The hitch assembly 28 includes a mast 140 attached to the forward end 46of the forward tube 42 of the telescopic tongue assembly 26. The mast140 includes two spaced apart vertical mast plates 142 and 144. The mastplate 142 is attached to the left side of the forward tube 42. The mastplate 144 is attached to the right side of the forward tube 42. A mastcover plate 146 is welded to the upwardly facing surfaces of the mastplates 142 and 144. A left side upper draft link 148 is pivotallyattached to the outside surface of the mast plate 142 by a pivot pin150. A right side upper draft link 152 is pivotally attached to theoutside surface of the mast plate 144 by the pivot pin 150. Spacer tubes154 and 156 are welded to facing surfaces of the draft links 148 and 152well forward of the pivot pin 150. A lower draft link 158 is parallel tothe upper draft links 148 and 152. The rear end of the lower draft link158 is between the mast plates 142 and 144 and is pivotally attached tothe mast 140 by a lower pivot pin 160. The lower pivot pin 160 is invertical alignment with the pivot pin 150 for the upper draft links 148and 152 and below the upper draft link pivot pin. A hitch block 162 ispivotally connected to the forward ends of the upper draft links by anupper pin 164. The hitch block 162 is also pivotally attached to thelower draft link 158 by a pin 166. The upper pin 164 is verticallyspaced from and directly above the pin 166. The four pins 150, 160, 164and 166 together with the mast plates 142 and 144, the links 148 and152, and the hitch block 162 from a pantographic linkage. A hitch member168, with a hitch pin-receiving bore 170 is secured to the hitch block162 by two bolts that pass through two of four bores 172 through thehitch block 162. The four bores 172 permit the hitch member 168 to belocated in at least three different vertical positions relative to thehitch block 162. The position of the hitch member 168 in the hitch block162 is selected to position the hitch member at substantially the sameheight as the height of the hitch on the tractor that pulls the tool barwhen the tongue assembly 26 is horizontal.

A hydraulic cylinder 174 has a head end 176 that is pivotally attachedto an upper portion of the mast 140 by a mast pivot pin 178. The rod 180of the hydraulic cylinder 174 is pivotally attached to the upper draftlinks 148 and 152 by a pivot pin 182. Extension of the hitch hydrauliccylinder 174 lifts the front of the telescopic tongue assembly 26 to atransport position. Retraction of the hydraulic cylinder 174 lowers thefront of the telescopic tongue 26 to a working position with the upperdraft links 148 and 152 in engagement with stop blocks 184 fixed on themast 140. The hitch pin-receiving bore 170 is held in a verticalposition by the pantographic linkage during extension and retraction ofthe hydraulic cylinder 174.

Tension connector links 186 and 188 have their forward ends connected toupper ears 190 extending from the sides of the mast 140 and lower ears192 extending from the sides of the mast. The connections between theconnector link 186 and the mast 140 includes a vertical pivot pin 194.The connection between the connector link 188 and the mast 140 includesa vertical pivot pin 196. The rear end of the left connector link 186 ispivotally connected to the left wing frame tube 78 by a verticalconnector pin 198. The pin 198 is substantially mid way between theoutboard end of the frame tube 78 and the pivot bar 48. The rear end ofthe right connector link 188 is pivotally connected to the right wingframe tube 86 by a vertical connector pin 200. The pin 200 issubstantially mid way between the outboard end of the frame tube 86 andthe pivot bar 52.

The tension connector links 186 and 188 are interchangeable between theleft side and the right side of the tool bar 10. The function of thetension connector links 186 and 188 is to transfer draft forces from atractor and hitch member 168 directly to the left wing frame tube 78 andthe right wing frame tube 86 thereby reducing forces on the main frameassembly 16 and reducing bending loads on the left wing frame tube 78,the right wing frame tube 86 as well as other structural members.Forward folding tool bars currently in production have tension connectorlinks with a fixed operating length. They have short length adjustmentscrews to assist in link connection to a tool bar 10. Fixed operatinglength tension connector links results in the requirement of a longtelescopic forward tube 42 to slide out of the rear tube 40 until thetension connector links 186 and 188 are substantially parallel with theforward tube. This requirement makes the transport length of the toolbar in the folded transport position longer than necessary. A longtransport length implement is difficult to move around a corner.

The tension connector links 186 and 188, shown in FIGS. 1, 1A, 11A and11B, include a large rear tube portion 240 and a smaller front tubeportion 242 that is telescopically received in the rear tube portion.The tubes 240 and 242, as shown, have a square or rectangularcross-section. The total length of a tubular tension connector linkassembly 186 and 188 decreases when the tool bar 10 is folded from theworking position shown in FIG. 1 to the folded transport position shownin FIG. 2. For the tension connector links 186 and 188 to transmit draftforces, their length must be fixed when the wing assemblies 20 and 22are unfolded as shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A. The length of the tensionconnector links 186 and 188 is fixed by a lock pin 244 that passesthrough an aperture 246 in the rear tube portion 240 and into anaperture 248 in the front tube portion 242. The lock pin 244 is fixed toa lock channel shaped block member 250. The lock channel shaped blockmember 250 is pivotally attached to a support yoke 252 by a lock pivotpin 254. The support yoke is attached to an outside wall of the reartube portion 240. A cylinder support 256 is also attached to the reartube portion 240. A double acting hydraulic cylinder 258 has its headend pivotally attached to the cylinder support 256 by a cylinder pin260. The cylinder rod 262 is pivotally connected to the block member 250by a rod pin 264. The hydraulic cylinder 258 is extended to move thelock pin 244 through the aperture 246 and into the aperture 248. Thehydraulic cylinder 258 is retracted to remove the lock pin 244 from theapertures and free the front tube portion 242 for telescopic movementinto the rear tube portion 240.

A cable is connected to the rear of the rear tube 40 of the hitchassembly 28 and extends forward inside the rear tube 40. The forward endof the cable is anchored to the forward tube 42. This cable is a stopthat limits movement of the forward tube 42 completely out of the reartube 40. The cable also prevents the front tube portions 242 of thetension connector links 186 and 188 from sliding completely out of therear tube portion 240.

Hydraulic fluid is supplied to the double acting hydraulic cylinders 258through flexible lines that extend along the rear tube portions 240 tothe respective wing assemblies 22 and 24 where the lines are connectedto the tool bar hydraulic system. The hydraulic cylinders 258 could alsobe connected directly to a tractor hydraulic system. When the doubleacting hydraulic cylinders are attached directly to the tractor, thetension links 186 and 188 are reversed so that the rear tube portions240 are connected directly to the mast 140 by vertical pivot pin 196 or198.

A left wing folding cylinder 202 is pivotally connected to the top plate32 of the mainframe assembly 16 and to the left pivot frame 18.Extension of the left wing folding cylinder 202 pivots the left wing 22toward the transport position shown in FIG. 2. Retraction of thecylinder 202 pivots the left wing 22 toward the working position shownin FIG. 1. A right wing folding cylinder 204 is pivotally connected tothe top plate 32 of the mainframe assembly 16 and to the right pivotframe 20. Extension of the right wing folding cylinder 204 pivots theright wing 24 toward the transport position shown in FIG. 2. Retractionof the right wing folding cylinder 204 pivots the right wing 24 towardthe working position shown in FIG. 1.

The tool bar 10 is shown in FIG. 1 in a working position with the wings12 and 14 extend laterally to the side of the telescopic tongue 26.However, the tool bar 10 is raised as shown in FIG. 1. Planting andearth working tools clamped to the tool mounting tubes 38, 64, 72, 76and 84 would be lifted out of the contact with the ground. To startwork, the tool bar 10 is lowered by retracting the hydraulic cylinders130 and the hydraulic cylinder 174. As the cylinder 174 is retracted theextensions 206 and 208 on the rear ends of the upper draft links 148 and152 pivot about pivot pin 150 and the slots 210 and 212 received therespective ends of a shaft 214. The shaft 214 is fixed to brackets 216welded to the bottom of the rear tube 40 thereby locking the hitchmember 168 to the tube 40 and the plates 32 and 34 of the main frameassembly 16.

The tool bar 10 is folded to a transport position by first extending thecylinders 130 and the cylinder 174. Extension of the cylinder 174disengages the bar 214 from the slots 210 and 212 and raises the frontend of the telescopic assembly 26. Extension of the cylinders 130 raisesthe tool mounting tubes 38, 64, 72, and 84 and lifts tools clamped tothe tool mounting tubes from the ground. The left wing folding cylinder202 and the right wing folding cylinder 204 are then extended to pivotthe wing assemblies forward about the pivot bar 48 and the pivot bar 52.The telescopic tongue assembly 26 is not extended by movement of thetension links 186 and 188 toward positions parallel to the forward tube42 and the rear tube 40. The hydraulic cylinders 258 retract therebyremoving the lock pins 244 from the apertures 246 and 248 and allowingthe tube portions 242 to telescope into the tube portions 242. When thewing assemblies 22 and 24 are parallel with the hitch assembly, and thehitch assembly 28 is telescoped to the desired length, the cylinders 258are extended to move the lock pins 244 into apertures 270 in the tubeportions 240 and fix the length of the tongue assembly 26. Extension ofthe forward tube 42 from the rear tube 40, after lock pins 244 areretracted from, permits an increase in the length of the tensionconnector links 186 and 188. Generally, a tractor attached to the hitchmember 168 moves rearward to limit the load on the wing foldingcylinders 202 and 204. As the left wing 22 and the right wing 24approach folded positions, with the left wing frame tube 78 and theright wing frame tube 86 parallel to the forward tube 42, wing supportbars 220 on the left wing and bar 222 on the right wing move across thetop of the rear tube 40. The cylinders 130 on the gauge wheel assemblies100 attached to the left wing 22 and the right wing 24 are retracted tosit the bars 220 and 222 on the rear tube 40. The projection 224 on thefree ends of wing supports 220 and 222, shown in FIG. 5, hold the barsand the wings 22 and 24 on the telescopic tongue assembly 26. Thecylinder 174 is then fully extended to raise the forward end of thetongue assembly 26 and obtain maximum ground clearance.

The tool bar 10 is returned to an unfolded working position by reversingthe above folding procedure.

1. A tool bar with forward folding wings comprising: a main frameassembly; a telescopic tongue assembly including a rear tube secured tothe main frame assembly, and a forward tube telescopically received inthe rear tube; a transverse horizontal tool mounting tube secured to themain frame assembly; a left pivot frame assembly pivotally attached tothe main frame assembly for pivotal movement about a left vertical axisand a right pivot frame assembly pivotally attached to the main frameassembly for pivotal movement about a right vertical axis; a left wingassembly pivotally attached to the left pivot frame assembly for pivotalmovement about a left fore and aft pivot axis and including a left toolmounting tube; a right wing assembly pivotally attached to the rightpivot frame assembly for pivotal movement about a right fore and aftpivot axis and including a right tool mounting tube; at least two gaugewheels attached to and supporting the main frame assembly, at least oneleft gauge wheel attached to and supporting the left wing assembly andat least one right gauge wheel attached to and supporting the right wingassembly; and a hitch assembly including a mast fixed to a forward endof the forward tube of the telescopic tongue assembly, at least onedraft link pivotally attached to the mast and to a hitch block, aparallel draft link pivotally attached to the mast and to the hitchblock, parallel to the at least one draft link and cooperating with themast, the at least one draft link and the hitch block to form apantographic linkage, and a hydraulic cylinder attached to the mast andthe at least one draft link and operable to lift and lower the mastbetween a raised transport position and a lowered working position, anda draft link extension on the at least one draft link that extends tothe rear of the pivot attachment to the mast and includes a slot thatreceives a bar on the rear tube when the mast is in a working positionand anchors the hitch assembly to the rear tube.
 2. A tool bar withforward folding wings comprising: a main frame assembly; a telescopictongue assembly including a rear tube secured to the main frameassembly, and a forward tube telescopically received in the rear tube; atransverse horizontal tool mounting tube secured to the main frameassembly; a left pivot frame assembly pivotally attached to the mainframe assembly for pivotal movement about a left vertical axis and aright pivot frame assembly pivotally attached to the main frame assemblyfor pivotal movement about a right vertical axis; a left wing assemblypivotally attached to the left pivot frame assembly for pivotal movementabout a left fore and aft pivot axis and including a left tool mountingtube; a right wing assembly pivotally attached to the right pivot frameassembly for pivotal movement about a right fore and aft pivot axis andincluding a right tool mounting tube; at least two gauge wheels attachedto and supporting the main frame assembly, at least one left gauge wheelattached to and supporting the left wing assembly and at least one rightgauge wheel attached to and supporting the right wing assembly; a hitchassembly including a mast fixed to a forward end of the forward tube ofthe telescopic tongue assembly, at least one draft link pivotallyattached to the mast and to a hitch block, a parallel draft linkpivotally attached to the mast and to the hitch block, parallel to theat least one draft link and cooperating with the mast, the at least onedraft link and the hitch block to form a pantographic linkage, and ahydraulic cylinder attached to the mast and the at least one draft linkand operable to lift and lower the mast between a raised transportposition and a lowered working position, and a draft link extension onthe at least one draft link that extends to the rear of the pivotattachment to the mast and includes a slot that receives a bar on therear tube when the mast is in a working position and anchors the hitchassembly to the rear tube; a left tension connector including a reartube pivotally connected to the left pivot frame assembly and the leftwing assembly, a front tube telescopically attached to the rear tube andpivotally attached to the mast and a lock to lock left tension memberrear tube to the front tube when in a working position to minimizepivotal movement of the left pivot frame about the left vertical axis;and a right tension connector including a rear tube pivotally connectedto the right pivot frame assembly and the right wing assembly, a fronttube telescopically attached to the rear tube and pivotally attached tothe mast and a lock to lock the right tension member rear tube to thefront tube when in a working position to minimize pivotal movement ofthe right pivot frame about the right vertical axis.